Rein-guard.



No. 644,387. Patented Feb. 27, I900. J. T. WEST.

R E l N G U A R D (Application filed Aug. 19, 1899.)

(No Model.)

in: NORRIS PETERS my, PHOTO-Undo WA MINGTO'M, D c

Unrrnn rains JOHN THOMAS VEST, OF BOWLING GREEN, KENTUCKY.

RElN-GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,387, dated February27, 1900. Application filed August 19,1899. $erial No. 727,789. (Nomodel.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN THOMAS WEsr, of Bowling Green, in the county ofWarren and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and ImprovedRein-Supporter, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

One object of the invention is to provide a device applicable to anyharness and which is especially adapted for supporting the reins at suchan elevation from the crupper as to efiectually prevent the reins frombecoming entangled with the harness or with the tail of the animaldriven.

Another object of the invention is to construct a rein supporter andguide in such manner that it willbe simple, light, and economic and sothat it may bequickly and conveniently applied to the harness ordetached from the same.

A further object of the invention is to construct a rein-supporter whichwill not detract from the appearance of either the animal or theharness.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theseveralparts', as will be hereinafter fully setforth,and pointed out inthe claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved device and that portion of theharness to which it is attached. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of thedevice and that portion of the harness to which it is applied, and Fig.3 is a detail perspective View illustrating the manner in which theframe of the device is removably attached to the harness.

The device consists of a frame A, preferably of skeleton formation, andarms 10 11, which form forward continuations of the sides of the frameA. The arms diverge at their forward ends and are given more or less ofa downward inclination. The frame A is provided with verticalguide-fingers 12 at the sides of its rear end, and preferably the frameA and the arms 10 and 11, extending from the frame, are made from onepiece of material namely spring-wire- -of suitable gage.

In the detail construction of the frame A said frame is wider at itsrear than at its forward end and consists of a rear cross-bar 13,extending from one finger 12 to the other, and side bars 14. The frameis preferably provided with cross-bars 15, also of wire or a likematerial, and these cross-bars are attached to the side bars of theframe in any suitable manner. Each side bar 14 of the frame A at theforward end of said frame is provided at its inner side with aforwardly-extending and substantially-horizontal pin 16, and if inpractice itis found desirable, and as illustrated in Fig. 3, these pinsmay be formed continuous with the forward crossbar 15. In the furtherconstruction of the device each arm 10 and 11 is made to terminate in anupwardly-extending hook or pin 17.

The pins 16, secured to the body of the device, are adapted to entersockets or eyes 18, secured to the crupper-strap B or, if desired, tothe rear portion of the back-strap C, and the pins or hooks 17, formingthe terminals of the arms 10 and 11, are made to enter openings 19 inloops 19, which loops are formed in the hip-strap D at a suitable pointbelow the connection of the hip-strap with the backstrap, as shown bestin Fig. 2. The loops 19 are usually formed in the hip-strap D by causingthe strap to pass th rough slots 20, produced in slides 21. Thehip-strap when passed through the slots of the slides extends across theouter faces thereof, and in this manner the loops 19 are convenientlyformed without marring the harness.

When the device is placed in position on a horse, the frame A has anupward and rearward inclination above the crupper, as is best shown inFig. 2, while the arms 10 and 11 extend downwardly and forwardly alongeach hip of the animal. It is evident that this device can be made verylight and yet Very strong and that it may be quickly and convenientlyapplied to a harness or detached therefrom, since it connects with buttwo parts of a harnessnamely, the crupper-strap or the back-strap andthe hip-strap.

The fingers 12 may be wider at the base than illustrated and theirforward members inclined from the top downwardly and forwardly. Anydesired number of cross-bars 15 may be employed, and the pins 16 mayface rearwardly instead of forwardly, as. shown, and the frame A may beshaped to the animal and may be made in two hinged parts, if desired.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. A rein-supporter adapted for attachment to aharness, and consisting of a frame provided with rein-guides at its rearend and arms at its forward end, the forward ends of the said arms beingconstructed for engagement with the harness, and a fastening-pin carriedby the frame at each side and adapted to engage sockets or eyes on theharness substantially as described.

2. A rein-supporter consisting of a frame having rein-guides at its rearend and forwardly-extending arms at its forward end, the forwardportions of said arms being bent to form a hook or pin adapted to engagethe harness and a fastening device comprising anapproximately-horizontal pin carried at each side of the body of theframe the ends of the said arms and the horizontal pins being arrangedfor detachable connection with a harness, substantially as set forth.

3. Arein-supporteradapted forattachment to the straps of a harness andcomprising a frame having a body portion provided with verticalguide-fingers at its rear end and diverging arms at its forward end, andcrossbars connecting the sides of the body portion of the frame, eachside of the body portion of the frame at the forward end being providedat its inner face with a forwardly-extending andsubstantially-horizontal pin, and the forward ends of the said arms eachhaving an upwardly-extending member, for the purpose set forth;

4. The combination, with the strap to which the crapper is attached, thesaid strap being provided with sockets, and the hip-strap of a harness,of a rein-supporter consisting of a frame provided with rein-guides atits rear end and forwardly-extendin g arms at its forward end, the saidarms having a downward inclination, which arms diverge at their forwardportions, each arm being provided with means for attachment to thehip-strap, and fastening devices carried by the frame, adapted to enterthe said sockets for the purpose set forth.

5. Arein-supporteradaptedforattachment to the straps of a harness, andcomprising a frame having a body portion provided with verticalguide-fingers at its rear end and arms at its forward end, cross-barsconnecting the sides of the body portion of the frame, each side of thebody portion of the frame at the forward end being provided with anapproximately-horizontal pin and the forward ends of the said arms eachhaving an approximately-right-angle bend, substantially as described.

6. The combination with the straps to which the crupper is attached, thesaid straps being provided with sockets and the hip and back straps ofthe harness, of a rein-supporter consistin g of a skeleton frameprovided with reinguides at its rear end and forwardly-extending arms atits forward end, the said arms being provided with means for attachmentto the harness, and fastening devices carried by the body of the frameat each side thereof and adapted to enter the said sockets for thepurpose set forth.

JOHN THOMAS VEST.

Witnesses:

KEITH PILLSBURY, R. O. P. THOMAS.

